The Island of Dr Onigumo
by PrincessMelissa83
Summary: Dr. Higarashi Kagome is brought in to examine the hybrid hanyou and classify him as either canine or human. But this time she may become a little too attached to her research. Takahashi Inuyasha wants revenge...more inside!
1. Chapter 1

**Lengthy Summary: **In the world of the future, youkai are as mythological as the gods of ancient Rome. Due to the epic trauma of World War III, the rules and society have changed and new people have emerged.

On the island compound of Onigumo-Nakumaru Laboratories, a project that could lead to the next world war is being brought to new lights when a hybrid is discovered.

Dr. Higarashi Kagome is brought in to examine the hybrid, deemed "hanyou", and classify him as either canine or human and thus decide his fate. But this time she may become a little too attached to her research.

Takahashi Inuyasha wants revenge for the tortures his father suffered at Dr. Onigumo Naraku's hands and to finally expose the secret his mother died to keep.

Very loosely based on the movie and H.G. Wells novel, _Island of Dr. Moreau_.

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**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Inuyasha_. _Inuyasha_ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. I also do not own _Island of Dr. Moreau_. The novel is the creation of H.G. Wells.

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**Author's Note**: I'm uploading several of the stories that I've started and haven't been able to finish in the hopes that maybe a few critiques/comments can inspire me to finish and quit making new ones before I finish at least i one i of the one's I've already started...

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**_Island of Doctor Onigumo  
_PrincessMelissa83

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**

_**MEMO**_

_TO: Higarashi Haruki, Chairman, Board of Scientific Review  
FROM: Dr. Naraku Onigumo, Onigumo-Nakumaru Laboratories  
DATE: August 14, 3056  
RE: Animal Testing and Gene Therapy_

_There has been a new and astounding development in my research that I believe yourself and the review board would be most interested in._

_Last night, near midnight, an unknown intruder managed to break into my facility and attacked myself and several employees. The intruder, it appears, is the result of a small scandal that took place while my father was first beginning his successful research. Said scandal was only recently brought to my attention._

_It seems the trespasser is a hybrid of one of my father's creations. The first successful mutation of an akita into a human form, Y1284M, apparently became involved with an employee, Dr. Takahashi Izayoi. Upon discovery of the affair, Dr. Takahashi was released from her duties and the akita was put down. Unknown to my father, however, the doctor was with child._

_I request a review of the said hybrid and an immediate decision on where the creature stands for characterization. In the event that he is found to be more animal than human, I would request the right to put him down. Otherwise, I will request that a formal report be filed and he be prosecuted to the full extent of the law for attempted murder._

_ON/wk

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_

Haruki unfolded the memo again and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose toward off a headache. He sat behind a large oak desk in his grandiose office. As a member of parliament as well as the chairman of the Scientific Review Board, it was his responsibility to deal with such problems, but he dreaded what was to come next.

The hybrid would have to be tested and evaluated for classification by the board and then his fate would have to be decided. Either way the creature was screwed.

What he couldn't wrap his mind around was how a human and an akita could produce offspring. Or how a human could mate with an akita. It was beyond his comprehension, but then he also knew that Dr. Onigumo had made large strides in animal research and the mutation of human and animal DNA. Maybe such a thing was completely beyond reason.

Across from him a young woman with her dark hair pulled back in a French braid, sat patiently waiting for him to speak. She idly plucked at the hem of her black, knee-length skirt. Her legs were crossed and her foot swung slowly back and forth, one black high heel held on only by the toe.

He focused on her and smiled slightly. She was beautiful. The spitting image of her mother when he first met her and he wondered how she still managed to be single at twenty-three. But then, he also realized she was reserved and put her work ahead of any sort of social life. Dedication to her job was admirable and, admittedly, a trait acquired from himself, but she needed more than just a research lab to be happy.

And that's why he dreaded what he was about to do. It would take months from her life, throwing herself totally into the project. She would think nothing of it, of course, but he…he worried for her.

"Kagome," he started and then cleared his throat, standing up to go to a bookshelf where he took down a thick binder and handed it to her. She took it and started flipping through the pages while he finished speaking. "Dr. Onigumo has requested an examination of someone being held in his facility. I've spoken with you before about his research, ne?"

She looked up, slightly distracted. "Hai, you have. His father was able to successfully alter animal DNA by mutating it and joining it with human DNA to create what he called a test-tube youkai. Dr. Onigumo has been following his research in the hopes of perfecting it."

She gave no outward sign of her distaste or distrust of the doctor's work, but she failed to see the necessity of such experimentation. Youkai were nothing but legends, passed down from the ancients through stories told to young children to keep them from wandering too far from home less they be taken and eaten by an evil monster. What interest the Japanese government could possibly have in these mutations was beyond her comprehension.

"The world's perfect soldiers, that's what Onigumo calls them. The Japanese military is interested in these 'youkai' and their potential as weapons of war." Haruki shook his head, removing his glasses so that he could rub his eyes. "Damn foolish if you ask me, but I haven't been able to convince the rest of the senate or the review counsel. If we could find some sort of infraction, some misrepresentation on Onigumo's part, we'd have a reason to shut him down, but he's been very clever so far. All on-site evaluations have come up clean and his reports are on schedule every month and show no misuse of his grants or research."

Kagome made a face, frowning as she sat forward, bracing her arms in her lap. "What about the genetics testing he's doing? The medical research? It's illegal to test on humans. If he's encoding human DNA and other genetic material into these animals to get his youkai, then can't they be classified as human, making his research illegal?"

He shook his head. "I've already tried that. We tested several of them and the results came back showing that while some human characteristics had shown up in their genetic make up, there wasn't enough to call them human. No, the best way to dislodge him is through this new hybrid."

"New hybrid?" She furrowed her brow in confusion. "What new hybrid?"

Haruki sat down again and replaced his glasses on his nose. "Flip to page 321 in that notebook. You'll see the information regarding the first of the late Dr. Onigumo's successful attempts."

She did as instructed and was assaulted by the picture of a rather strange looking man. He was handsome even with all his oddness. Obviously tall, he wore a pair of black jogging pants and white tee-shirt. His hair was long, completely white, and pulled back in a ponytail that fell to just below his waist. His skin was tan, though she couldn't tell whether it was naturally so or from being out in the sun. His features were strong and looked like they were almost cut from stone with two amazing golden eyes staring out at her. Tattooed over each cheek was one dark blue lightening bolt.

"Subject Y1284M: a/k/a '_Inutaishou_'" she read aloud, checking the statistics beneath the snapshot. "Akita specimen. Successful mutation on October 7, 3000. Put down on May 23, 3031. Reason: volatile behavior, danger to researchers."

She looked up at her father with wide blue eyes. "Amazing! I'd never guess he was anything but human. I mean, of course his hair and eyes are odd colors, but lots of people use hair dye and contacts."

Haruki nodded. "Hai, that's why I wish to shut him down. He is violating the rules of ethical practice and, if he is successful in creating the world's perfect soldier as he's been bragging of doing, we could be facing world war four."

She nodded solemnly. That thought hadn't escaped her. After reading about and seeing pictures of the devastation caused by the last one, she was in no hurry to live such a war first hand. "Continue."

"Behind those pages you'll see outlines of his training, abilities, the vitamins and such used to keep him healthy, tests conducted on him and charts of his DNA structure and other genetic mutations. The scientist in charge of the day-to-day field study of Inutaishou was a Doctor Takahashi Izayoi, a young woman just out of medical school and entering her third year of training at Onigumo's lab. Apparently, according to old employee records, she saw more than just a dog when she looked at him because they were caught some months later having an affair. That was in 3031. She was discharged and the akita was put down.

"A few nights ago, someone managed to breech Onigumo's security and attempted to kill him and two of his employees. The trespasser claims to be Takahashi's son - a child she had with Inutaishou.

"What I need you to do, Kagome, is to travel to Onigumo's laboratory and examine this hybrid. He should be tested genetically, physically, mentally and emotionally. When you've concluded your tests, you will present the review board with a full report of your findings and whether or not he should be classified as human or canine."

The girl cocked a brow and closed the book on her lap. "And if he's found to be canine? What happens to him?"

Haruki seemed to shrivel in his chair. "He'll suffer the same fate as any other malicious animal. He'll be put to sleep."

She couldn't contain the gasp that flew from her mouth. "And if he's human?"

"He'll be tried for trespassing, breaking and entering of a federal building, assault and attempted murder. He'll probably be facing life imprisonment."

"So, either way he's not got a chance, ne?" She shook her head. "It doesn't seem right. What reason would he have to attack the facility? Does your report say?"

"He refuses to speak to anyone. You've certainly got your work cut out for you, Kagome." They both stood and he walked around the desk so that he was standing in front of her. "Good luck, sweetheart."

She smiled and hugged him, kissing his cheek. "Thanks daddy. I'll see what I can do. Okay?"

* * *

The island where Onigumo the first had set up his laboratory was man made and had cost more than she could ever dream of earning in her life time. At that time there had been no federal funding for the projects which both Dr. Onigumo and Dr. Nakumaru, his now bedridden partner, planned to conduct and Kagome couldn't help the eerie feeling that crept along her spine when she thought of all the ways _they_ could have come up with such funds. The facility certainly wasn't lacking in pomp and circumstance, that was for sure.

As her ferry approached the docks, she could see the tops of several buildings over the trees and the dock itself was more than she'd imagined. Three yachts were anchored by the wooden deck and a larger vessel was anchored just a little ways off the coast. Several large storage buildings flanked the shore and she could see people walking around carrying this and that or performing various tasks.

"What sort of security is there, Dr. Honda?" She questioned the man beside her. Onigumo had sent one of the younger residents to meet her at the ferry and show her through the compound. He was rather handsome: a foot or so taller than she with shoulder length black hair he pulled back in a tail. However, she'd learned quickly to keep him at arms length when, only two minutes into the ride, he had grabbed her bum. His cheek was still slightly red.

"The dock you see now is the only entrance into the compound. The rest of the shore and river bed is lined with rocks that jut up out of the water, preventing any boats from coming too close," he answered, pointing to the waters in the distance. "There's also security cameras set up every so many yards to monitor anyone dumb enough to wade ashore. The screens are watched by the tower guards at the other end of the dock. They've been given orders to shoot first and ask questions later, should anyone attempt to come on the island by any means other than the dock. Then there's guards who patrol the dormitories and the training grounds. It's a miracle anyone was able to get in."

She nodded and looked back towards the shore just as the head of the ferry butted up against the wooden deck. Three men grabbed the line and aided her in stepping up and getting her footing. Miroku, her escort, chuckled. "You'll get used to it in a minute. Do you want me to carry your bag?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not heavy, really, but thank you. Did you see the man who broke in? What's he like?"

He fiddled with the hair in his ponytail. "He certainly didn't look like anything I've ever seen and believe me, since working here, I've seen a lot."

"If you want to keep your hand, you'll keep it away from Dr. Higarashi," another voice scolded from the beach. "Am I clear, Dr. Honda?"

Kagome looked up to see a young woman, a few years older than herself, dressed in black slacks, a pink shirt and white lab coat. Her brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and she stood glaring at Miroku with crossed arms.

"Clear as crystal, dearest," he replied, clasping both hands behind his back. "Dr. Higarashi, I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Dr. Hitomi Sango, the most beautiful doctor in the compound. She and I will be working along with you in your study of the, ah, half breed."

Kagome bowed politely. "Really, if we're going to be working together, we should be on a first name basis, don't you think? Call me Kagome, please. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Hitomi."

"If I'm calling you Kagome, you're gonna call me Sango," she said, stepping between Miroku and Kagome. "You've already met Miroku, I see. Be careful around him, his hands have a tendency to wander."

"I've noticed." Kagome sent a glare around Sango to the young male who whistled innocently. "I was just asking Miroku if he saw the guy who broke in and attacked Dr. Onigumo. Did you?"

Sango nodded and led her towards a topless jeep parked on a dirt packed road. "We both did. The main facility is on the other side of the island, too far to walk," she motioned Kagome to the front seat and took the driver's seat herself with Miroku in the back. "He came crashing through a window and jumped onto Dr. Onigumo, trying to choke him. When two of the residents tried to stop him, he attacked them. He knocked one back and into a table and clawed at the other one. At first we thought he had a knife, but after he was tranquilized, we realized his nails were as long and sharp as claws."

"My father said he refuses to talk to anyone. How do you know he's Dr. Takahashi's son, then?" She questioned, glancing between them.

"Well, it was quite obvious he wasn't human. Dr. Onigumo ordered him placed in a observation room and when he came too, he question him," Miroku answered her. "The boy said that Takahashi Izayoi was his mother and accused Dr. Onigumo of killing her. If what they say is true and he is the offspring of an akita -"

"Miroku! Hush!" Sango slammed on the breaks, causing dust to fly up around them from the dirt road. She turned sharply in her seat, fuming at him. "Don't say a word, Miroku. You know better."

He sighed and sat back in his seat. "I apologize, Kagome. I nearly said to much."

Sango nodded and pressed the gas, putting them in motion once more. Kagome simply turned and looked out over the trees to the various buildings that dotted the landscape. Obviously something was going on and none of them were able to talk about it.

"Those are the dormitories. The ones on the East side of the island are for the males and the ones to the West are the female. We keep them separated to keep them from mating in an uncontrolled environment. Dr. Onigumo says that we aren't ready for that level of experimentation just yet. The buildings just past those are the school where they learn basic level reading and writing. The training grounds are past the school." Sango glanced at her and smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you back there. It's just, there are some things that we can't talk about."

Kagome nodded. "It's alright, I understand. Let me ask this, then...what does he look like? I've been trying to create a mental picture since my father told me about him, but there's no description in the files and I'm afraid my imagination may have gotten a little carried away. I keep expecting a living sphinx."

Sango laughed and gunned the engine, bouncing them over the uneven path. Her hair flew over her shoulder and into her face and Kagome was glad she'd thought to braid hers. "If that's what you were looking forward to, you're gonna be disappointed. The only dog like feature on him is his ears. For someone with canine blood in them, he looks amazingly human."

Miroku nodded and leaned forward, bracing his arms on the backs of their seats so that his head was between them. "You've seen the picture of his father? They've the same hair and eyes from what I can tell and other than his ears, which are actual dog ears atop his head, if you weren't up close you wouldn't know his heritage. Up close to him, however, you can see that he's got fangs for canines and claws instead of nails - not sharp like a cats, but hard like a dogs toenail; destructive with enough power behind them, but not necessarily dangerous."

"I've heard him growl," Sango added taking a left turn that nearly dumped Kagome on the side of the road. The woman grabbed the edge of the jeep and braced her feet on the floorboard. "But he speaks just as plain as you and I when he chooses to. Of course, like we said, he's only spoken to Dr. Onigumo and then only to threaten him for killing his mother."

She put on brakes, causing the jeep to slide in the gravel and dirt in front of the laboratory building and Miroku nearly did a flip over the front seats. Kagome took a deep breath, pausing for a moment to thank the kamis she'd arrived safely before climbing out. Miroku offered her his hand for assistance and then grabbed her bags.

"Sango, my love, your driving is as exceptional as always," he commented, secretly winking at Kagome.

His wife-to-be narrowed her eyes, sending a glare in his direction. "I got you here in one piece and on time, didn't I?" She led them to the stairs and through the main doors.

Whereas the dormitories that they had passed were built in the old, traditional fashion with peeked roofs and clay shingles, the laboratory building was white stucco with large glass windows along the bottom floor and smaller ones on the subsequent floors all the way to the sixth which was practically one solid window all the way around.

"That's Dr. Onigumo's private study on the top floor. He likes to be able to look out over the compound. The labs and observation rooms are on the second through fifth floors. The containment and experimental rooms are on the sub-level floors, one through three," Sango explained and pushed the up button on the elevator. "That's where they're keeping the...what would you call him? Creature sounds rude, but really, what is he?"

Kagome tried to tuck several loose strands of hair back behind her ears. The ride had undone some locks from her braid. "Well, in mythical legend the offspring of a human and youkai were called hanyou. Seeing as Dr. Onigumo claims his creations are lab-bred youkai, I would think hanyou would be an appropriate term."

She nodded and Miroku held the elevator doors while the girls stepped in. "Well, sub-level three is where the hanyou is being kept and where we'll be doing the majority of our work. We'll head down there in a minute, but Dr. Onigumo wanted to talk to you first. That's where we're headed."

The elevator doors opened with a _ding_ and Kagome found herself walking into a spacious reception area with leather couches and two full walls of windows that overlooked the compound. She could just make out the tops of the dormitory buildings over the trees. A young woman with dark, black hair and a sour expression sat in front of a large, granite desk, her chin rested in her hand and she was focused on a computer. She looked up when they approached and pushed an intercom button.

"Higarashi Kagome is here." She sounded bored out of her mind.

"Send her in, Kagura. Miroku, Sango, I assume you are there as well? If you'll wait out there for Dr. Higarashi, she shouldn't be but a moment. Then the three of you can get to work."

Kagura jabbed her thumb in the direction of two wood doors and Kagome tried to dust some of the dirt off of her blue blouse before stepping in.

Dr. Onigumo Naraku was not what she had been expecting. He was tall and lean, young looking for his age although he was nearly as old as her father. His long, black hair was pulled back in a tail and fell in waves down to his knees. Instead of the uniform like lab coat, he wore khaki slacks and a blue-green striped dress shirt. She could see a khaki dress jacket folded over the edge of his desk chair, but Naraku himself was in the far corner of the room, computerized putter in hand.

"Welcome to my island, Kagome - it is alright if I call you Kagome? It's such a lovely name." He took a swing and then read the meter, grimacing at his score. "Well, I was never much of a golfer anyhow. So, Kagome, your father speaks very highly of you. He says that if anyone can help clear up this mess, it would be you. I hope that he's right. I would like this nasty business settled as soon as possible."

"I will certainly see what I can do, Dr. Onigumo - "

"Naraku, please. We're all family here on this island. It's why so many of us choose to reside here in the apartment complexes behind this office. In fact, there has been an apartment furnished and ready for you to use during your stay. You'll be just down the hall from your associates, Sango and Miroku."

Kagome bowed slightly. "Thank you for your trouble, Naraku-san. I have been speaking with both doctors and I suspect we'll have a close working relationship."

Naraku smiled at her, an expression that didn't quite reach his eyes and ended up looking more menacing than reassuring. "I assume they've already filled you in on what details weren't provided in my report. I apologize if I overlooked a few things, but I was in a hurry to get it to your father."

"They have and, I have to say, that I'm very intrigued with what I've heard so far."

"Wonderful. You're probably anxious to get started, then, so I'll let you get to it. Just remember that if you need anything, you're welcome to call on me at any time."

She smiled gently and bowed again. "Thank you for your considerations and it was a pleasure to meet you, Naraku-san. I will do my best to have this matter cleared up as quickly as possible." He had already gone back to swinging the putter when she walked out to join the others.


	2. Chapter 2

**_The Isle of Doctor Onigumo_  
PrincessMelissa

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Sub-level three turned out to be the first of the sub-level floors. These halls and rooms were brightly lit and painted stark white with white tile. The only decorations were a few potted plants, fake, and a some abstract oil paintings that donned the hall walls. The rest was bare and almost uninviting.

Sango flashed an identity card at two armed guards who nodded and stood aside so that they could go in. The observation room was furnished with a writing desk, three rolling chairs, a round table, a computer, inter-island telephone and control panel. The left wall was cut out and a thick piece of two way glass had been inserted. A coat rack in the corner by the door held a white lab coat which Sango took and handed to Kagome before going to the writing desk and rummaging through the drawers. When she came back, she had an identification badge with Kagome's picture and name on it.

"You can't get to the sub-levels without it and it'll also be the key to your apartment as well as your entrance into the cafeteria and gym. Not that you'll have time for the gym, of course," she explained.

Miroku had already glided up to the control panel and, for the first time, Kagome noticed a door to the right of the window that led to another room. "Hit the lights, Sango."

She did as she was told and the room was encased in darkness except for two recessed lights, one over the desk and another over the table. Both girls came up behind him as he flipped various switches. "The glass is two way and one way. We can watch him without him knowing we're there by keeping this switch up. It fogs his half of the glass so he can't see in. Of course, if the lights are on, he'll see a shadow. If we flip the switch down, it clears the glass and he can see us. We each get a microphone so we can talk to him if we need to. Just press the blue button on the base to open the communication and let it go so he can answer. There's speakers and mics in his room as well as several cameras to record his movements. All of our interactions with him will be recorded onto a disk for later transcription. Any questions?"

Kagome peered through the glass as she adjusted the lab coat, flipping her blouse collar up and over the coat's collar. She could see the boy laying on a futon at the far end of the other room. His arms were behind his head and his eyes were closed although she could tell by the tautness of his muscles that he was not asleep or resting. Someone had given him a red set of hospital pajamas to wear but he had stripped out of the top and wore only the pants.

_They didn't tell me he was gorgeous_, she thought, blushing as she took in the narrow waist and broad shoulders and amazing six pack. _He's like a Greek Adonis or something...there's no way this creature is the son of a dog..._

"Ahem, Kagome?" Miroku chuckled as she came out of her trance like state. "Did you want to talk to him or just stare at him all day?"

Her blush deepened and Sango smacked him on the back of the head. "Yes, I would like to speak with him, but I would prefer to do it face to face if that's alright."

Sango furrowed her brow. "We've been given permission to do anything we need, but do you really think it's wise to go in there with him? He's dangerous."

"She's right, Kagome. If he attacked you, we might not be able to get you out before he did some serious damage," Miroku added, concerned.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh, my gosh! Guys! He's probably twenty-five, twenty-six years old which means that he's been living on the main island for all of that time - in the middle of society. And I've yet to hear a news story about a dog-like creature attacking anyone prior to his arrival on this island. Obviously, he's not a habitual assailant."

"Still, Kagome, I just don't think it's safe. We don't know -"

She cut Sango off by grabbing one of the microphones and pushing the button. "Excuse me, Takahashi-san? That was your mother's name, correct?" He raised his head and looked over at the glass, curling his lip in a scowl before he rolled back over, staring once more at the ceiling.. Realizing that the glass was still fogged, she ignored Miroku's protests and flipped the switch so that he could see into their observation area.

"Konnichiwa, Takahashi-san. My name is Higarashi Kagome and I'm a doctor from the main island. You're from there, ne? My father is Higarashi Haruki, the senator and chairman of the scientific review board. He and Dr. Onigumo have asked me to come talk to you so that we can clear up a few matters," she explained while he continued to ignore her. "I'd really like to talk to you in person. Would you be willing to let me come in and do so?"

"Feh."

She made a face and leaned closer to the glass. "The thing is, I would prefer to keep my life and limbs in tact and I would like your word that you'll be civilized and not attack me when I walk through that door."

"I ain't got no problems with you." He turned his head so that he looked at her again. "Besides, you ain't worth the effort."

* * *

(A/N: Insert stupid _Sling Blade_ joke with bad Billy Bob impression - "I don't reckon I got no reason to kill nobody, mmhmm.")

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Sango gasped, surprised he'd spoken since he had been silent save for a few grunts and muttered 'kehs' under his breath. Kagome put down her microphone and opened her briefcase, a large khaki bag. The rest of her bags had been sent with a guard to her new apartment. Pulling out a slim, black notebook she opened it up to reveal a mini computer. Two small chips came from a side pocket. One she inserted into the mini computer and the other she handed to Sango.

"Put that in the stationary system. I do all my research on this computer and the two chips will collect my data. One can save to the hard drive of the stationary system and the other will save onto a disk just in case of emergency," she explained before closing her PC again and going to the door. "You'll want to lock it behind me, I know."

Miroku nodded. "I'll do that. Be careful in there, Kagome."

She gave him a reassuring smile and opened the connecting door, stepping through. The hanyou didn't even look up when she entered so she set her PC on the low table opposite his futon, opening it back up and clicking a few buttons to get where she needed to be in order to take notes. Sitting on the floor, she drew her knees under her and looked over at the lazing being.

_He's purposefully being difficult,_ she noted mentally and made a face, typing just that into her pad. Her own patience with his attitude was wearing thin.

"Like I said, Takahashi-san, I'm Dr. Higarashi Kagome, but please call me Kagome. Those are my colleagues, Dr. Hitomi Sango and her fiancé, Dr. Honda Miroku. They're going to be helping me in my research." She put on a bright smile and turned back to him. "So, Takahashi-san, do you have a first name or even a nickname that you go by?"

"Keh."

_Patient is non-responsive to communication._

"Keh - that's an interesting name. How did you come by that one?"

He sat up, bracing himself on his elbows to glare at her. "Look _doctor_," he spat the word out as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Say what you've got to say and then leave me the hell alone. I got no problem with you right now, but you're starting to piss me off. So get on with it or get out. Got it?"

Kagome took a deep breath and closed her eyes before locking her fiery blue orbs with his. "I get it just fine, but apparently you don't." She stood, looking down on him with her hands on her hips. "Like it or not, I'm your ticket out of here. Your future depends entirely on me and those two doctors in there. You're the first and only being of your kind and therefore there are _no_ laws on record to protect you in any way, do you understand that? The rest of Dr. Onigumo's so called youkai have been classified as animals and are treated that way. If one of them were to attack him, he'd have had it put down and that's exactly what he wants to do with you. But he can't. At least, not yet, and that's where I come in."

He rose and stood in front of her, arms crossed as he stared down at her with those enticing gold eyes. He was obviously trying to intimidate her. Despite being at least two feet shorter than he, she straightened her shoulders and matched him stance for stance.

"What's any of that got to do with you?" He sneered.

"The Japanese Board of Scientific Research Ethics Review has hired me to conduct a study regarding you. Given your heritage, they are uncertain whether or not you can be classified as human or canine and want me to present them with a detailed report and proposal in two months based on a series of tests that I'll be performing.

"If, at the end of the two months, you've cooperated and I'm able to complete my testing and submit enough evidence with my proposal to have you classified as homo-sapien, you will be released from this compound and proper charges will be filed against you for trespassing, breaking and entering of federal property, and three counts of assault.

"If I am not able to complete my research and provide the proper evidence then you'll be classified as canine and Dr. Onigumo will have the right to punish you as he sees fit, including having you put down. Is that clear?"

"As glass," he responded, sounding bored. "Fine, what the hell do I have to do?"

Kagome smiled smugly. She loved it when she won an argument.


	3. Chapter 3

**_The Isle of Doctor Onigumo  
_PrincessMelissa

* * *

**

Kagome knocked on the door to Sango and Miroku's apartment later that night. The couple had invited her to dinner so that they could get to know each other better, since they would be working together.

She'd brought along the binder her father had shown her with all the information on Inutaishou and Dr. Takahashi. Sango ushered her in and motioned for her to sit on one of the pillows surrounding a low table. Though couches and plush chairs furnished the adjacent living room and a high, Western styled bed donned the bedrooms, some things would always be the same.

"Reading material?" Miroku questioned, nodding his head towards the black binder and quirking a brow.

Kagome smiled and shook her head, setting the book on the table and opening it to the book marked pages. "Not really, just a few interesting tid-bits about Dr. Takahashi and her work. I thought you might want to look over it."

Sango put a lid on a pot that was steaming on the stove and walked over, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she went. "What sort of information?" She dropped the towel on the floor next to the table and knelt on a cushion. "Where'd you get all this stuff?"

"From my dad. He's got a whole bookshelf full of notebooks like this regarding Nakumaru-Onigumo Industries. Being a testing facility like this one is, they have to report monthly to the Board of Scientific Review and they've been in business for a long time." Kagome flipped some pages back to the beginning of the Inutaishou project. "Of course, my dad's only been in office the past ten years and Dr. Onigumo's been in business for nearly thirty, so he doesn't remember this particular case or he'd have used it to get them shut down. I don't know why they didn't do it at the time."

"I could think of a few reasons," Miroku muttered and tried to look innocent when Sango shot him a glare.

Kagome quirked a brow and looked between the two. _Must be another one of those things they can't talk about_.

"Is that his mother?" Sango asked, changing the subject. She pointed to an enlarged photocopy of an identification card with a thumbnail sized photo of Takahashi Izayoi and her statistical information. "She had green card clearance. She was important." She indicated the green dot in the left hand corner of the security card.

Kagome frowned in confusion and looked from one face to the other. "What's that mean?" She'd noticed a red dot on her own card, but no one had explained the difference to her. She hadn't really thought about it.

Miroku looked up from the photo. "There's five levels of clearance here and they're color coded. Your level of clearance shows how important you are in the facility and the higher level you are the more information you're privy to."

"Dr. Onigumo's facility is the leading industry in technology like this. He's not only creating what he calls 'test tube youkai', but he's using their blood and DNA to test for cures for illnesses. There are tons of pharmaceutical companies who would love to get their hands on the research developed here," Sango added, elaborating.

Miroku was nodding. "There's red, yellow, blue, green and white levels; red being the lowest. Sango and I are blue level. The only white level that we know of are Dr. Onigumo and his head assistants, Dr. Hyouga Menomaru and Dr. Tsukino Kaguya."

Kagome bit her lip and nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. She'd later write it down in her personal journal so that she'd have it for later reference. It might come in handy in her preparation for the Review Board as well. "And I'm a red card, which is why there's certain things you can't tell me, right?"

"Exactly." Sango stood and went to check on her cooking. "And Miroku has a tendency to speak without thinking," she called from the kitchen.

"But if I'm a red card then there's a ton of information I can't get. What if I need it for my report?" Kagome stood and rounded the table, going to help Sango dump spaghetti and sauce into bowls and then carry them to the table.

Miroku moved the binder out of the way and immediately dug in with his chop sticks. "That's why Dr. Onigumo assigned us to work with you. Anything we think you might need to know or that you ask for that we know, we're allowed to give you. Anything else we have to clear with Dr. Hyouga or Dr. Tsukino. They've got the clearance to give us the okay on anything without bothering Dr. Onigumo."

Kagome twirled a clump of noodles around her chopsticks and shoved them into her mouth, chewing slowly while pondering something that had been bothering her all day, but had really started to grate on her since the revelation over security clearance. "If Dr. Takahashi was green card clearance then she was tops around here, right?" She asked when she'd swallowed. "So, how could Onigumo afford to let her go? What would keep her from selling his secrets to another company?"

The couple shared a look with one another and then Sango shrugged and laughed slightly. "Maybe she was more loyal than you thought?"

Miroku pushed his bowl away as if to get up and knocked soda over, managing to successfully drench Kagome's bowl, shirt, and lap as he had been sitting across from her. She shrieked in surprise and Sango jumped.

"Oh! Geez! Come on, I'll show you where the bathroom is and get you a dry shirt." She grabbed the younger girl's wrist and tugged her up, pulling her into the bathroom on the other side of the apartment. Inside she closed the door and turned on the faucet at the sink.

Kagome was giving her a puzzled look and she sighed. "Naraku has a way of knowing everything that's been said or done anywhere on the compound. We suspect that he's got the higher level buildings and offices tapped to make sure no one sells him out," she explained in a harsh whisper. "Miroku and I were talking about it this morning and we don't think that Naraku actually _let_ Dr. Takahashi leave. We think she may have found a way to the main island on her own and stayed in hiding. Her information was dangerous to Nakamaru-Onigumo Industries and not just in a pharmaceutical sense."

Kagome's azure eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. "You mean, she knew he was doing something that could have gotten him shut down? Why didn't she go to the Review Board?"

"Naraku's had every politician in his back pocket since starting this project...except your dad, obviously. They wouldn't have done anything _and_ she had a baby to think about."

The younger girl closed her eyes. The breakthrough that her father had been searching for was almost within her reach, but the one person with the information was now dead. But that would mean... "So, Takahashi's suspicions that Naraku killed his mom? They could be valid?" She blinked and snapped her fingers in a constant rhythm, a habit of hers when thinking. "Maybe...Maybe if she had any secrets...Maybe Izayoi shared them with Takahashi. Maybe that's why he came after Naraku."

Sango was nodding and smiling. The same things that she and Miroku had thought of that morning while preparing for Kagome's arrival, Kagome was just figuring out. She turned the faucet off and opened the door. "I'll get that shirt."

* * *

Kagome was the first to arrive in the observation area the next morning. She'd thrown on a pair of blue jeans and a green cashmere shirt under her lab coat. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, held together by two hair sticks. She hadn't slept well the night before and she wasn't too concerned with her appearance since she was going to be working underground. Her lack of sleep was the reason she had come to the sub level observation rooms so early. The night guard had looked suspicous when she'd first shown her clearance card, but after a call to the main tower, he'd let her through. 

She closed the tech room door behind her and sat her briefcase on the table, going to the switch board. She flipped the switch which would allow her to look into the hanyou's room without him seeing her. The sun had barely risen over the coast when she hiked down to the lab and she didn't want to wake him if he were sleeping.

To her surprise, however, the light in his room was on and he was sitting cross legged on the cot with his back against the wall. It looked almost as if he were meditating. Flipping another switch she turned the microphone on and lifted it from the base. "Good morning, Takahashi."

One eye cracked open and he watched her from the corner of his eye. "What's so good about it?"

Kagome sighed. "Okay, so I suppose that was a dumb greeting under the circumstances, but I was just trying to be polite."

He shifted his position to stand up and her attention was drawn to the fact that he wore only the red pajama bottoms from the day before. His feet and torso were bare. She blushed crimson and was glad she hadn't opened the window completely and she was still hidden from his view.

"Screw polite, Doc. Just get me the hell out of here."

She couldn't help but grin and grabbed her case after punching in the code that unlocked the adjoining door. "I told you, I'd try, but you have to cooperate. You promised, remember?" She set the case on the table and opened up her laptop. "Now, what's your full name? What's your birthday? Do you have a PID?"

He stretched, bringing his arms over his head and popping several joints in his shoulders and back. "Takahashi Inuyasha, personal identification number 30320303J, born March 3, 3032. Anything else?"

She shook her head and typed the information into her computer and then started rummaging through her bag the khaki bag she used a briefcase. "You can read and write? I've got some standardized application tests that I need to give you to evaluate your IQ."

"Yeah, I can read." His tone was sarcastic, but she ignored it figuring it was just his nature and pulled out a stack of papers.

"Great. You'll have to answer these tests then to evaluate what grade level you perform..." she trailed off when she caught sight of her computer screen and then glared at Inuyasha. "You attended Tokyo University. You could've told me that before I started sounding like an idiot."

He smirked, plopping down on the bed once more and shrugged in a noncommital way. "You didn't ask."

"What'd you major in? Did you get a degree? How did you attend a collage or even a high school and not have had _some_ mention of your appearance?" She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to answer.

"I didn't _attend_ collage or high school," he answered simply. "I was home schooled by my mom. I had to go once a month and take a few exams at the local high school, but they do make hats you know. I took online courses at Tokyo U and did the same thing anytime I actually had to go to the university."

He was looking extremely too cocky, as if he'd somehow outsmarted her and she hated it. "I didn't major in anything. I got a standard Associates Degree so that I'd have it to make my mom happy. It ain't like I'd actually go out and get any kind of job. I wasn't a recluse, but I'm not stupid either."

She sat down and shuffled some papers around, discarding half her stack. "I never thought you were," she assured him when his tone had become slightly gruff as if to reflect a slight amount of hurt. "I just wasn't sure about your education. I'll call the university and the high school and have them fax me a copy of your transcripts. Those will really help. In the mean time, I still need you to take a few of these tests." She left the remainder on the stack on the table and then pulled a case from her bag.

"Also, I'm going to have to have photographs, so put some clothes on. I don't need the women on the review panel swooning when they read my report."

"Swooning?" Inuyasha lifted a brow, but before Kagome could say anything another voice came over the speaker.

"Feeling a little lightheaded, Kagome?" Miroku was laughing through the microphone and Kagome blushed a deep red. "Why are you glaring at me, Sango? Kagome's appreciation for the male form is perfectly healthy, isn't that right Dr. Higarashi? OW!"

Kagome wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. Even Inuyasha's cheeks were tinted pink. Luckily the sound of a hand contacting with someone's cheek informed them both Sango had things under control.

"Take your pictures, Kagome, while my fiancé and I have a little talk. Then we'll take Takahashi for his physical exam." Sango flipped the switch to clear the glass and then winked at the two before grabbing Miroku's ear and dragging him into the shadows.

Kagome brought out a digital camera while Inuyasah slipped on a white t-shirt with the Nakamaru-Onigumo logo on the pocket. When he was ready, she snapped several frontal and profile shots as well as a back shot and then started taking close ups of his unusual features, such as his ears, claws, fangs and eyes.

That taken care of, she hooked the camera to her computer and started downloading the images with the rest of the information she'd pulled regarding him from the web.

* * *

NOTE:  
P.I.D. (personal indentification number) is equivolent to the Social Security Number used in North America. It's a term I came up with for the story. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: If you review this story, please either sign in to your account or leave an email address where I can reach you to answer any of your questions or explain anything that confuses you. policy is that we are not supposed to leave reviewer comments at the end/beginning of our chapters. I usually stick to policy, but there was one review which I feel should be addressed before someone starts thinking I've got some weird perversion or something. Since the reviewer was not signed in and did not leave a contact address, I'll have to address it here.

Kathy - Inuyasha's father, though called an inu youkai, was _still_ a dog with a human form. The only difference between the mythological youkai of Japanese legend and the test-tube youkai of Naraku's lab is that the created ones were...well...created and, as you'd learn in later chapters, must be given a serum which keeps them that way. Still, other things are soon to come to light...well, maybe not soon...that explain a little more. Read a synapse of _The Island of Dr. Mareau _by H.G. Wells or rent the movie (it has that girl from _The Craft_ in it).

* * *

_**The Island of Doctor Onigumo  
**_**PrincessMelissa83

* * *

**

"Is that really necessary?" Kagome looked skeptically at the white linen jacket Miroku was holding up from the doorway. "He's not insane, for kami sake."

"The armed guards outside the door probably aren't necessary either, but they were requested by Dr. Onigumo," Sango replied from behind him. "I know it's degrading and all, but when Dr. Onigumo asks for something it's done."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, glaring in their general direction. They knew she wasn't angry with them, but with the doctor. Inuyasha had as much as promised to be on his best behavior during their examinations, but Naraku wasn't taking any chances that the hybrid might escape. She was ready to punch a hole through the wall. "Fine."

She turned to the hanyou who was looking just as put out, if not more. "I'm really, really sorry."

Miroku came in and slipped the material over Inuyasha's head. Much to Kagome's relief the boy complied, even if he growled while doing it. Once the arms were secure, Miroku grasped his elbow and led him out to the hall where two armed security guards were waiting to escort them to the PT area.

The physical training area was on sub level two and took up nearly the entire area. There was an obstacle course on one end and a grouping of gym equipment on the other, as well as stations for the doctors to keep tabs on their results. Like everything else in the sub levels, the floor and walls were bright white. Over head, halogen lights buzzed with energy.

The door was locked behind them and Kagome could see the two guards take up positions on either side, waiting for them to finish. Miroku unlatched the straight jacket while Sango opened a black, plastic case on one of the tables. The inside was lined with foam with cutouts for vials and several needles as well as a pair of scissors.

"We're going to do some physical tests on you for stamina and ability as well as take some blood for genetics testing," Sango explained, pulling rubber gloves over her hand. She removed one of the three needles and a small bottle of alcohol. "I'll take the blood and run it down to the lab while Kagome and Miroku start on the other tests."

Inuyasha rolled up his shirt sleeve and held out his arm while Sango tied a piece of rubber around his upper biceps and rubbed a small area with the alcohol. Eyeing for a vein, she stuck the needle in and withdrew a tube full of blood which was then deposited into a vial and capped off. She did this two more times before replacing her instruments, tossing the needles away, and closing the case.

"I'll be back in a few."

Kagome set up her lap top at the work station and pulled a pen and paper out as well. "What're we doing first, then?" She tucked the pen behind her ear and flipped the notebook open.

"I was thinking that stamina, sensory and ability should be tested as much as possible for today. We'll use normal human standards and the average standard for one of the youkai creations." He took the notebook from Kagome's hands and plucked the pen from her hair, earning himself a hard look from both Kagome and Inuyasha. "The average human at top speed is perhaps five MPH. The canine and feline bred youkai on this island have averaged a clocked top speed of 160 MPH, give or take a few miles."

The keys on Kagome's laptop _clicked_ as she typed that information into her database. "How are you going to test that? I mean, in here? Kinda confined, don't you think?"

The other doctor chuckled. "Onigumo Naraku has thought of everything, Kagome-chan." He motioned to what looked like a treadmill, but had no computer on the front, only two side bars. "If you wouldn't mind stepping up there, Inuyasha?" He punched a few things into the control station where Kagome stood and then stepped aside. "Now, if you would just start to run, going as quickly as you can, we can record the rate of speed. Just don't run off the machine."

Inuyasha started moving and Kagome's eyes slid to the screen that was tracking his speed. "You'll be able to get a print out of that, right? I need as much hard copy information as possible."

"For you? I can do anything." Miroku grinned and winked over at her before pressing another button. "Okay, Inuyasha, you can start slowing down now."

Kagome's eyes wandered from the screen to the treadmill where Inuyasha was gradually coming to a stop. The t-shirt he wore was a bit on the small side and showcased his muscled upper body - not that she hadn't gotten an eye full of it that morning and the day before. Still there was something about the way his muscles rippled under the skin as he ran that caught her attention. It was odd because she'd never that interested in a man before. Though she'd had the occasional boyfriend, her work had always taken top priority. Was she missing out on something?

"Kagome? Earth to Kagome." Miroku whistled and waved a hand in front of her face. Both men were watching her. At some point Inuyasha had come to a stop and had started glaring when he caught her staring at him.

She jumped and ducked her head to hide her blush. "Sorry. I was just thinking of all the things I need to do to get this report and presentation ready. What were you saying?"

Miroku was trying not to laugh. He had the impression his young associate had a bit of a crush on their hybrid. And for some reason, that didn't seem as odd as he would have thought. "I was just telling you that his speed leveled off at around 79 mph. That's nearly half what the average inu and neko bred youkai here can do and considerably more than the average human."

"Well, he is only a _half_ _breed_," a male voice remarked from the front of the room. Both doctors turned to see a tall man with blue-black hair, pulled back into a tail. He wore a navy blue business suit under his doctor's coat and stood as straight as a board. Sango was standing behind him, looking less than pleased. "I ran into Dr. Hitomi on her way back down here and thought that I would come and see if there is anything I can do to help."

Sango walked around him and joined the others. "I told him we had everything under control, but Dr. Hyouga insisted."

_Doctor Hyouga Menomaru_, Kagome realized watching the man practically glide down the aisle of machinery towards them. _Naraku's first assistant. He's much younger than I imagined. And a whole lot creepier. _Just his presence sent goose bumps up her spine. Not even Naraku had given her that kind of reaction.

"What have you discovered so far?"

The youngest doctor closed her laptop, not wanting him to see her results. "Nothing that is of any particular interest yet," she replied tersely. "I prefer to not discuss my research until I have come to a conclusion, if that would be alright. I will be sending a copy of my report to Dr. Onigumo when I turn it into the Review Board and I am sure he would be more than happy to let you read over it then."

Menomaru's eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn't used to being denied anything by anyone other than Naraku. "Yes, I'm sure he will. Well, Dr. Higarashi, it seems there really is little I can do here..." His eyes wandered to where Inuyasha stood waiting and a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Except...I wonder if your associates have explained to you a certain attribute all of our youkai have."

Without warning, and before anyone could react, he'd drawn a small scalpel from his coat pocket and made a thin, neat slash across Inuyasha's arm. It wasn't very deep and only a small line of blood oozed from it, still it was enough to anger the hanyou and he jumped at the doctor as if to attack him.

"No! Inuyasha!" Kagome threw herself in front of Menomaru and held out her hands to stop the boy. _If you do that, it'll be over! This work will be for nothing!_

Luckily, it stopped him and she sighed in relief. Her lowered arms caught sight of his arm and she gasped in surprise. "That's amazing!" She exclaimed, forgetting what had just happened in that instant. She grasped the hanyou's arm and ran her finger over it to see that it was real. The blood that had oozed out hadn't even dried on his skin and already the cut had scabbed over and was slowly fading away. What should have been at least a week's healing process was taking place in the matter of minutes.

"Heh," Menomaru snorted. "The youkai of this island would be healed completely by now. I suppose you really do only do everything _half_ as well." With that he turned and left, wiping the scalpel off with a handkerchief and placing both back into his pocket.

Sango rolled her eyes and sat on one of the weight benches. "Sorry, guys. I tried to keep him away, but he insisted. What could I do?"

"It's okay," Miroku assured her. "What'd the lab say?"

"Everything from us is to be marked top priority so we should have the results by the time we finish today."

Kagome had reopened her computer and had just finished documenting the rapid rate of healing into her file. "Well, we might as well keep going. We can test stamina and strength today and keep a monitor on his heart rate and blood pressure throughout. Sometime I want to see about scheduling an EKG and CAT-scan to show brain function and we'll also do an eye exam."

She fiddled with the edge of her coat. "The best way to test strength level would be one of those punching rings...you know what I'm talking about? It's like a padded button and you punch it as hard as you can and it tells what the pressure is?"

Sango nodded and pointed to a wall across the room. "Specially built to resist youkai strain."

Kagome smiled. Despite a few minor setbacks, things were finally on their way.

* * *

They were just about to pack up when the results from the blood work came back. While Kagome and Sango looked over the paperwork, Miroku led Inuyasha and the two security guards to the shower so the now sweaty hanyou could clean up.

"It's just your basic stuff," Sango muttered, sounding disappointed. "He has no abnormal anomalies in his blood; no contagious or stagnant diseases; blood type AB..."

"This is interesting, though." Kagome pointed to the bottom of the first page. "DNA analysis shows combination of inu and human DNA material. General DNA properties are divided 50 inu and 50 human. See diagram." She flipped to the next page to see the computer drawn diagram of his DNA strand compared to that of a dog and human.

* * *

After seeing Inuyasha put back into this containment cell and saying good-night, the trio headed back to their apartment building, discussing the results and their next moves.

"I was really hoping that the genetic markings wouldn't be equally divided," Kagome groaned. "That was my best shot at convincing the board to classify him as a human. Now I'm going to rely completely on his educational and physical aspects. It's not going to be easy."

"You would think that all they have to do is look at him and they would see he's more human than canine," Sango said, shaking her head. "Even I don't think of him as a dog anymore."

"Neither do I," Miroku admitted. "But the board will require scientific proof."

Kagome leaned against the wall by her apartment door. "I feel like I'm walking around in the dark. Even with everything you've been telling me, it's like I know nothing about this company or his projects...or even the people who run it."

Sango put a comforting hand on her arm. "We've been here for three years, and we - What was that?" She turned quickly, looking at the corner where the hall turned to another line of apartments. "Someone was there. I saw them."

The other two looked, but saw nothing. Kagome approached the turn carefully and looked around just in time to see the shadow of a figure going inside one of the apartments. She turned around, frowning. "Someone _was_ watching us. Let's just give up for tonight and start fresh in the morning."

Her colleagues nodded their agreement and bid her goodnight, going to their own home.


	5. Chapter 5

**_The Island of Doctor Onigumo  
_PrincessMelissa83

* * *

**

Kagome chewed thoughtfully on her pen. She was back at Miroku and Sango's apartment for dinner and they had been discussing their work before conversation turned to more mundane things such as the newest movie releases and a book signing in Kyoto Miroku was sorry he had missed. Of course, that was just their conversation out loud, throwing off any suspecting persons who might have been listening in. The remainder of their professional conversation was carried out on a tablet being passed between them. The same night as their first run in with the mysterious spy, Miroku and Sango had scanned their apartment thoroughly from top to bottom, leaving no crevice unseen. They had found the four microchips which allowed their conversations to be recorded; one in the kitchen, two in the main room, and one in the bedroom. However, they had not found any evidence of micro cameras so their movements were hidden from prying ears.

"My brother called the other day. He was upset because there was a cherry blossom festival last week and I didn't take him," she commented making a face.

On the paper she scribbled/_Someone was watching us again yesterday and the day before./ _

"How's your family?" Sango asked casually. "Has your dad gotten us anything else?"

Miroku had taken the tablet from her and then handed it back. /_Where? I saw no one. /_

"No, but he wishes me luck." The stove timer went off and Sango went to get their meal, serving them. Things quieted down then, but their silent conversation continued.

_/Here, in the building. I didn't see them...I heard them running off as I was going inside. /_

_/Naraku, you think/_

_/He's already got our apartments bugged, why spy/_

Sango shrugged, chewing her chow mein slowly while thinking. Miroku stirred his ice water around in his glass, also looking thoughtful before taking the pad from his fiancé.

_/Inuyasha got in; perhaps Naraku's security isn't as good as he thinks. A rival company might have sent a spy to steal research. /_

It wasn't all that illogical an idea. Inuyasha had managed to physically breach the security, so obviously there were gaps. Someone with enough knowledge and the right backing could easily forge personal information and send an employee to infiltrate Naraku's compound. If they were working at a lower level, say as a nurse or a guard, they wouldn't be considered high risk and their apartments would be bug free.

The fact of the matter was, under normal circumstances Sango and Miroku themselves weren't considered high risk enough for observation either, but their work with Kagome brought them to an all new danger level and _she_ was certainly a risk. Obviously Dr. Onigumo wanted whatever information Kagome might have prior to the Committee hearing and that bothered her.

Everything about Onigumo Naraku bothered her.

_/Either way, I don't like it/, _she informed them to which they nodded. /_And, I'm sending Inuyasha's blood samples to a friend of mine back on the main island. I want my work to be fool proof. No one is going to be able to say that I was biased. /_

To this Sango frowned. She didn't agree with bringing in outside sources because this was a very important case they were working on. /_Can you trust him/_

_/Explicitly/, _Kagome reassured her. /_He and another friend of mine, Matoki Arumi, are going to help at the hearing. Arumi is an attorney, so she can help with the laws. I just wish I had some blood samples from one of the youkai on the training field...if Naraku is forging his research, then there might be something there to help us. /_

The young couple exchanged a glance before nodding. /_We'll see what we can do. /

* * *

_

Once the meal was complete, Kagome said her goodbyes and walked down the hall to her own apartment, going over in her head all the things she would need to do to finish up her work. She'd been there a month already and knew that she didn't have much longer to stay before heading home to actually write her report.

Alone, she removed a vial from her briefcase that had contained the sample of blood she had taken from Inuyasha earlier that day. He had complained horribly about being stuck over and over again when he didn't know what the point was. She'd ignored him, unwilling to tell him her plans when someone else might here. She _needed_ this to work.

She donned rubber gloves and took from her equipment a roll of gauze, cutting off a small square. Using a dropper, she dripped a small amount of blood onto the gauze and then folded it neatly, laying it aside. Another vile containing several white hairs was taken from the briefcase and its contents deposited onto another square of gauze that was also folded. Both squares were dropped into an envelope and sealed.

That chore done, she grabbed her keys and took the elevator down to the building office where a bored looking guard sat behind a plexiglass window with his feet propped on a desk.. Along the desk were several television screens. Most showed different angle shots of the halls of the building. One, the one he was currently paying attention to, played a old comedy. She tapped on the glass to get his attention and he nearly jumped out of his skin, turning to her with a rude sneer.

"What?"

"I would like to mail this, please," she told him, passing the envelope through a small slit in the window.

"Kinda thick and heavy for a letter, don't you think?" He eyed her curiously and she smiled brightly.

"I accidentally packed my mother's favorite earrings and she wants them back immediately. She can't live without them, she says."

"Women," he muttered under his breath and tossed the envelope in a post bin and turned back to his show. Kagome smiled triumphantly and headed back up to her apartment.

Along the way, she noticed the tingly feeling of someone watching her as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She turned quickly only to see the shadow of a figure disappear around a corner. Unwilling to leave it alone, she turned and headed in that direction. Again she missed them as her pursuer took another turn. She followed, finding a standing open and hearing footsteps echoing in the cavernous space where the stairs led down.

With only a brief thought that if she caught whoever who had been spying on her, or if they caught her, she might be in trouble or even that it might be a trap, she went in, closing the door behind her and then started moving downwards. The footsteps were running and she ran too, trying to catch up to them.

But this couldn't possibly be right. She had only been two flights up and she had already descended three and was headed to a fourth. The elevators didn't go down that far, so where did the secret stairs lead?

At the bottom of the fourth flight was another door and she pushed it open to find a long stone hallway, mostly dark. At the other end, a small silloutte stood, supposedly waiting on her. She couldn't make out the features of the person, but they were obviously short and female. When she got closer, she realized it was just a child.

"Are you the one that's been spying on me?" She asked in a whisper and the girl nodded. "Why?"

"Can you help my friends?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and looking up at her. By a dim light she could just make out the girl's freckled face and missing front tooth.

"I can certainly try," Kagome answered and knelt down to the girl's level. "Who are they? What kind of help do they need?"

Happily the girl smiled and took her hand, leading her down further into the corridor. "They're stuck down here 'cause Papa and Dr. Onigumo don't like 'em none."

At this Kagome frowned, unsure what the little girl was going on about or how she would even know such things. "How did you get down here? What is this place? Who is your papa? Who are you?"

The girl stopped and scrunched up her face to decide what to answer first. She was probably no older than nine or ten, but she seemed determined to act like an adult. "My papa is a doctor and friends with Dr. Onigumo. My name is Hyouga Rin. Papa works down here sometimes, in the lab. I was bored one day and I was playing spy girl and I saw him come in, so I snuck behind him and used a pencil to stop the door from closing, then put tape on the door jam so when he came back out, it wouldn't lock. When he left, I came down to explore."

"Playing spy girl? Is that what you were doing with me?"

Rin nodded and shrugged a backpack off her shoulders, something Kagome hadn't noticed she carried until then. Opening it, she pulled out a flashlight and showed the contents to the doctor. Among other things there was a note pad, pencils, pens, string, masking tape, and a juice box. The child was a regular Harriet.

"Can you help my friend?" She asked suddenly, tilting her head up at the doctor with a curious look.

Kagome smiled gently. "I will certainly try," she assured her. "What is wrong with your friend?"

"He's been locked up and I don't like it. I want him out so that I can play with him. Can you get him out?"

At this Kagome frowned, not sure what to make of what the child had said. At her hesitation, the little girl sighed heavily and then grabbed her hand, pulling her deeper into the corridor and to another steel door which she swung open easily. On either side of this new room were glass windows that showed the inside of containment cells not unlike the one that Inuyasha was in. What she could only guess were more youkai could be seen doing various activities; sitting, reading, sleeping. Rin lead her to one particular window and Kagome gasped at what she saw.

Inside this cell was a boy, only half the height of the girl at her side, with rust red hair tied back with a blue ribbon. He wore a blue and white set of scrub like pajamas and played with a spinning top, looking bored. What had elicited her gasp, however, was the fact that the child's legs seemed to be the paws of an animal and he had a bushy, tan colored tail that stuck out from the back of his bottoms.

"Wha-"

"That's my friend, Shippou. I named him when I met him," Rin told her, as if talking about a pet. "He's one of papa's experiments and he's a fox. Can you help him?"

Kagome searched her mind for something to say to the girl, but came up short. "Not tonight, Rin, but I'm certainly doing my best to help your friend and every other youkai on this island."

A screech from her left caused Kagome to jump and she could see someone running towards them. "You! How did you get in here!"

It took everything she had to not show her outward disgust at her assailant's appearance. He was about the same height as the child, but a greyish green color with the face of a toad that had been knocked in the head and had it's nose smashed in. He wore a navy blue uniform like a security guard and was waving a night stick at her.

Rin made a noise under her breath and stepped in front of Kagome. "I brought, Jaken-san," the girl informed him, seeming to be annoyed at his appearance.

He skidded to a stop and lowered the club, sneering at the girl. "I thought I told you to keep out, Rin. Now scat!"

Rin crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air, obviously ready to do a battle of wills. "No. I want to play with Shippou-chan and Higarashi-san says that she's going to help him - she's going to help all of you."

He eyed them for a long moment before narrowing his eyes in the child's direction. "You get back to your apartment before your father catches you. I'll help Higarashi-san from here."

Nodding her agreement, Rin smiled at Kagome and then turned, running back the direction they had come from and disappearing through the swinging door. The creature in front of her came closer and Kagome wondered if she should turn and follow the girl. "Dr. Higarashi," he muttered, "I've been wondering if I would have a chance to speak with you. Come with me."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long delay in posting a new chapter. I was trying to finish To Begin Again and starting my own business...well, anyway, I'm ready to start working on this one again. No quitting till I'm finished and unless it's a small one-shot or a mini, I'm not working on anything else. 


	6. Chapter 6

**_The Island of Doctor Onigumo  
_PrincessMelissa83

* * *

**

Kagome stared at the odd looking creature that had professed a need to talk to her wondering just what this thing could want with her. "What _are_ you?" She voiced her thoughts out loud before thinking it through and blushed scarlet at the realization of just how rude her question had been.

Jaken, however, only chuckled. "I am Jaken, otherwise known as Y1108M. My parents were two of the late Doctor Onigumo's frog youkai. I am one of the less successful of the late doctor's experiments. Naraku keeps some of us to do manual labor and to guard the breeding labs."

Kagome's brows knitted together. "Breeding labs? You mean, where he mixes RNA and DNA to create his youkai?"

Jaken shook his head. "No, I mean breeding labs. Where he brings two of his created creatures to mate and bare offspring," he said, tone serious. "You see, my parents were among the first to couple. It wasn't until a few years after my birth that the doctor discovered why so many of us were coming out imperfect."

"Wait, Doctor Onigumo assured myself and my father, as well as the rest of the review board that he was not prepared for that level of experimentation. There is no documentation of it in the board records. This research is illegal."

The creature was nodding his head, hands clasped behind his back. "Hai, it is. That is why I wanted to speak with you. It is my desire to see this brought to light. We deserve more than this slavery that we've been put to."

Trying to grasp it all, Kagome's mind was working overtime. How could she get proof of this to give to the review bored and if she did not, how would she ever shut down the compound? And if she did prove it to the board, what would happen to the youkai?

"How is he doing this?"

"It's quite simple, actually," the creature replied with a shrug. "At first, he simply allowed them to mate and create offspring, but when so many of them came out like myself, he realized there was a problem. A few years later, he came up with a solution. He mixed several different types of vitamins with the syrum he'd been giving his test-tube youkai and injected this into the female after conception. The result was…perfection. These bred youkai were able to maintain their humanoid shape without the use of the syrum. But not only that, they were also able to take on the shape of their acestors, the animals they were created from."

He had led her down the hall to another holding cell. When she looked through the glass she could see a young man, seemingly a few years older than herself, with long white hair held in a braid. He had pale skin and amber eyes, very closely resembling the picture she had seen of Inutaishou in her father's office.

"This is Sesshomaru, or Y1309M, the son of two akita youkai. His father was the youkai known as Inutaishou." Jaken allowed her to move closer to the glass and look in at the man who lay on a cot. He wore white scrubs, but she could make out the muscular build of his form through the thin material.

"Shippou, the fox youkai you saw back there, was one of the earlier experiments. He is in here because of his lack of completion in the human form. Sesshomaru, however, is here because of his lack of respect for Naraku's authority. He fought the guards and the doctors. He is being held here until he can comply with the rules."

Kagome put her hand to the glass and then took it away, turning towards the toady creature. "But none of this does me any good if I can't prove it. Without blood samples or DNA samples from one of these youkai, I have nothing. The board isn't just going to take my word for it."

He nodded solemnly. "I will see what I can come up with. When do you leave?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"I will get it to you before then. Rin will deliver it before you leave." He started to lead her back when he snapped his webbed fingers in sudden though. "Ah, there is one more thing you should know. The youkai, Inutaishou, he was not the late doctor's first successful test-tube youkai." He stopped and turned towards her, looking her dead in the eye. "He was the first successfully bred youkai."

"You mean…he wasn't created from an akita?"

"No."

It was a lot for her to take in, but as soon as she'd returned to her apartment, she took out a note pad and started transcribing her entire conversation with the creature.

* * *

The next morning, she packed her briefcase and prepared for her last trip to the sublevel containment room where Inuyasha was being held. It was time for her to gather the last of her research and tell the hanyou goodbye before returning to the main island to write her report. She wouldn't be seeing him again until the day of the hearing.

She also had a copy of her transcription to give to Sango and Miroku. They would need to know what was going on before she left so that they could keep close tabs on the goings on of the compound.

However, she never made it into the building. Naraku was in a jeep waiting for her with Kagura at the wheel when she walked up.

"I'd like you to ride with me to the docks, Dr. Higarashi," he explained after greeting her. "There's someone there I think you might like to see."

She'd had no choice but to climb into the back of the vehicle and ride along. Much to her relief, Kagura was a much safer driver than Sango had been and they made it there with no mishaps. Standing on the landing dock, surrounded by security guards from the mainland was her father. She jumped out of the backseat and ran for him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Papa!" She exclaimed excitedly, "What are you doing here?!" She hugged him tightly before letting go so he could explain.

"I decided to accompany your uncle and see how you were doing." Kagome looked around and noticed for the first time that another civilian was standing with the uniformed guards. Her uncle Akigo, the lawyer her friend Arumi worked for, was also standing on the landing dock and was currently handing a piece of folded parchment to Naraku who was looking less than pleased.

"What is the meaning of this?" The doctor demanded, frowning with evil looking brown eyes at Haruki.

"It means," Akigo answered instead, "that the hybrid is to travel back to the main island with us, under guard, and be held in a facility in Tokyo until Dr. Higarashi has completed her report and all parties appear before the review board. It was decided that because of the delicate nature of this case, the hybrid was to be held on neutral territory where he could be contained and observed in safety. You will have him ready to leave on the morrow."

Kagome couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. The guards and the various people on Onigumo's compound had not attempted to go near him because of her presence, but she had feared that as soon as she left they would extract their revenge on the hanyou. Yet, if he was contained on the main island, her father could see to it that no one was allowed near him without his okay.

"Papa? Would you like to meet the people I've been working with?" She asked, turning her smile towards him as Naraku fumed a few feet away. "I've become very good friends with them in the short amount of time that I've been here. And, if you like, I'm sure that Dr. Onigumo would have no objection to you having a look at the hybrid? He is very interesting, to say the least."

"Do as you will, Senator," the doctor hissed, angrily. "The hybrid will be ready to go by morning. Kagura, see that transportation is brought around for these men back to the main laboratory." With that he turned on his heel and jumped into the jeep that had carried them to the docks, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

It was another twenty minutes before the cars arrived that took them to the main facility where the guards set up post outside and her uncle was shown to the offices of the onsite legal department on the floors just under Dr. Onigumo's penthouse.

Kagome led her father through the sublevels, talking excitedly about the research she had performed and some of her results. Upon reaching the observation room, she stopped and allowed him to get inside before making the introductions. Then, to his surprise, she opened the door to the containment cell and led him inside.

Inuyasha was lounging on his cot, with not much else to do in the small room, while Miroku and Sango worked on typing up their statements for her report. A little radio played music.

"Inuyasha, this is my father, Dr. Higarashi Haruki," she said brightly, "he's the head of the review board and a senator. Papa, this is Inuyasha."

The senator whistled lowly and stared at the boy, slowly shaking his head.

"What are you staring at old man?" Inuyasha snarled, sitting up from his cot and sneering at her father.

"Inuyasha," Kagome scolded before nudging her father. "Papa, don't stare, it's rude. Isn't that what you always said?"

The older man shook his head, clearing his mind from his thoughts. "I apologize, Inuyasha, I didn't mean to be rude. My daughter seems to remember my rules better than I do. I was simply thinking about how you were not what I was expecting. I dare say that the review board will be as surprised as I am."

To head off another snide remark from the hanyou, Kagome clapped her hands under he chin, as excited as a little girl. "You're going with us, Inuyasha," she told him happily. "The review board decided that it would be in everyone's best interest if you were to be transported to the main island while waiting my report to be complete. You don't have to stay here."

"Yippee." He wasn't quite as happy about it as she had initially hoped. But then, a portion of her excitement had more to do with the fact that she wouldn't have to say goodbye to him as she had originally thought. Though they had spent the majority of the month performing tests and studying the results, she had come to know the hanyou quite well and had become quite fond of him. In different circumstances, she thought they might have been pretty good friends, if not more. She did have to admit that even with his odd features, he was pretty handsome and that the whiteness of his hair and the amber in his eyes only made him that much more intriguing.

"At least you won't be so confined, Inuyasha," Miroku said, coming in behind them. "You should at least be thankful for that."

Inuyasha only growled in response. Though she didn't know him well, it seemed odd that his mood was as bad as it was. He had been cooperative until the last day and a half. Starting a few days before, he had become increasingly irritable and had grumbled over everything. At first she had assumed it had something to do with his apprehension over being left under Onigumo's care while awaiting a hearing, but now she wondered if it was something more. Not that she could necessarily find out with their every word and movement being monitored by the good doctor.

* * *

It was before dawn the next morning when Inuyasha was shackled and jacketed and then led to the docks with the procession of guards from the main island. His grumbling had only become increasingly worse and Kagome was finding herself in an increasingly bad mood. It was going to be a long trip back to Tokyo.

A/N: I think there are probably going to be another three chapters left. Maybe four to just even it out and make ten. I know the chapters are short, but that makes them easier to finish and post. Please keep reviewing. I read every single one of them and I love getting them.

Anyone wanna guess why Inuyasha's getting so pissy so suddenly?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Though no one had commented on it, I feel the need to say this. I know that for the 40th Century, this fanfic doesn't have much futuristic detail to it, but I'm thinking of the fact how slowly the majority of our technology has developed over the last few centuries and something tells me that in 3000, we're still not going to be flying around in hover cars or transporting in instant time. The Jetson's life is still a loooong way off.

* * *

_**The Island of Doctor Onigumo  
**_**PrincessMelissa83

* * *

**

"Federal officials were seen transporting a man believed to be the suspect in an attempted murder at Nakumaru-Onigumo Industries last month. The suspect was covered with a sheet and Federal agents have denied all requests to answer questions at this time."

A female reporter with brown hair and golden highlights sat behind a news desk. Behind her in a small corner screen was a still shot of Inuyasha under a white sheet and surrounded by armed guards. The young woman reporting shuffled her papers before footage from the actual scene showed Inuyasha shackled and covered, led by agents and followed by the senator and his daughter.

The screen cut back to the news anchor who was now giving a short history of Doctor Onigumo Naraku and his research.

Kagome shut off the television and put a CD in her player instead. After arriving at the dock on the main island, they had found the parking lot surrounded by news vans. She had no doubt it was Naraku's doing. He probably figured to garner support by showing the public what a murderous freak of nature Inuyasha was.

At her father's request, the guards had thrown a sheet over his head while walking him from the vote to the van, which thankfully had tinted windows, and again when they exited to enter the prison. They had been followed by helicopters and more vans had been waiting at the penitentiary. For his own safety, Inuyasha had been put in solitary confinement. And that had been where she had left him.

* * *

"The suspect in an attempted murder -"

"Tokyo Federal Prison received -"

"…Doctor Onigumo Naraku, infamous creator -"

"…a failed assassination -"

Inuyasha growled and jammed the power button on the remote attached to the wall. Everything in his 6x9 cell was bolted down except the covers. Not that there was much to begin with. The solitary confinement at Tokyo Federal Penitentiary was sparse to say the least, housing only a bed along one wall, toiletries against the other, and a TV mounted above the door. At least it had a TV.

Not that there was anything good on.

Agitated and becoming worse by the minute, he flung himself on the cot and drew the covers over his head. It was going to be a long night and an even longer month.

* * *

She was totally engrossed in her work and barely heard the phone ringing, deciding when she did to let the machine get it. A half empty glass of wine sat next to the keyboard and classical music drifted from the speakers on either side of her monitor. One might think she was writing the great romance novel of the time, there were candles lit, and not a scientific thesis but that was exactly what she was writing.

And it was getting good.

_A light tapping at her door surprised her. It was much too late for visitors and she frowned curiously as she unbolted the lock, even more surprised to see little Rin standing there. She quickly put her finger to her lips to silence the girl and knelt to her level. "What is it, Rin?" She whispered in a voice so low she wasn't sure if the child could actually hear it or not. "And speak softly."_

_It only took the child a moment to understand. Considering who her father was and where she'd grown up, it wasn't a shock that she'd caught on. She leaned forward, right at Kagome's ear, and whispered, "Jaken-san asked me to give this to you." She held out a small box and waited for Kagome to take it before putting her arms around the woman's neck and kissing her cheek, bowing before she turned to go. "Thank you, Higarashi-san."_

_Kagome returned the bow as best she could from her squatting position and then opened the box to find two vials of blood, both marked with specimen names and numbers. The toad had done better than she hoped…_

"Doctor Higarashi, this is Iwamura Lee from the federal prison. We have a situation with the hybrid that -"

"Hanyou, Iwamura-san," Kagome corrected as she picked up the receiver. "The proper term would be hanyou. What sort of situation?"

The man snorted on the other end. "Hanyou, hybrid - either way he's a stubborn sun of a bitch. He refused to eat dinner and he's causing problems with our routine checks," he explained. "He's been quiet all afternoon, but when we got ready to do bed checks before lights out, he refused to remove the blanket from his bed…or himself. Doctor Higarashi, I wouldn't bother you but it's protocol and it's required. I know he's just in holding, but he did make an attempt on Doctor Onigumo's life and we have to make sure he's not doing anything dangerous in there."

Kagome sighed wondering why Inuyasha was choosing now to start acting up. They were so close to the end. It was going to be a rough time waiting in that cell, but he'd manage on Naraku's island. What was the difference?

"I'll be there as soon as I can. It'll take at least half an hour though," she conceded with a defeated sigh.

They hung up and Kagome grabbed her coat and keys.

* * *

"Just what is your problem?" She demanded an hour later as she stood in his small cell with her hands on her hips, staring at the lump of covered person on the cot. "You've been acting like a jerk for the last few days and now this? I'm trying to finish my report so I can get you in front of the review board. I can't be coming down here every night to baby-sit you!"

"I don't need a fucking babysitter. Just leave me alone!" His voice was muffled under the blanket. "All of you just leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep."

She narrowed her gaze. "No, you're not. You're being a jerk. You're lucky they called me to come deal with you instead of dealing with you themselves. I'm sure it wouldn't have been pleasant." She had seen guards with guns and tazers when she'd come down to this ward. They wouldn't have gone easy on him.

He rolled over, supposedly putting his back to her and she groaned in exasperation, having had enough. Without warning she grabbed the blanket and jerked it down off of him before he could stop her and gasped loudly when she saw black hair before he could recover himself.

"What…how…you…" She stumbled for words before furrowing her brow deeply. "What's going on?!"

It was his turn to groan in annoyance and sat up, situating the blanket so that it covered his hair completely but not his face. "I'm human," he grumbled.

"I noticed. How? Why?"

He shrugged. "Don't know, but it's been happening one night each month since I was born. Always on the new moon. But don't you dare put that in your report, wench. I don't need people knowing when I'm at my weakest."

She shook her head, agreeing with him. "I wouldn't dare put _what _day, but I do need to put the fact in that you _do_ become human. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"It's fucking embarrassing, that's why. It's uncomfortable and I hate feeling this weak when I'm usually stronger than any human."

It made sense. Still…he'd been at Naraku's for a month. How had he managed to not become human while there? Unless…

The answer dawned on her and she rolled her eyes at her own denseness. He had obviously waited, planning his attack on Naraku for directly after the new moon. She put a hand on his arm, smiling softly. "Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me and I'll see what I can work out with the guards. I'll be right back." On impulse she leaned forward and kissed his cheek before blushing brightly and awkwardly patting his arm. She beat on the peeking window and waited for the door to open.

Outside, she worked out a deal with the night check guards that as long as they could see his face and hands, their check would be complete. Inuyasha held the blanket over his hair like a shawl until the check was over and then fell onto the cot to wait out the night.

* * *

Kagome couldn't believe she'd kissed him. Of course she'd been wanting to do it for quite some time now, but she hadn't actually planned on acting on it! Kamis, what did he think? Why?! Why would she do something so utterly embarrassing?

_I live to torture myself,_ she thought unlocking the door to her apartment. _He's my work, for kami sake! He's a science project! I can't have a crush on a science project?!_

Her answering machine was blinking and she hit play, still mentally scolding herself.

"Higarashi, it's Houjou Akitoki. I was calling to let you know that I got the results of the blood and DNA/RNA analysis you asked me for. I think you will be pleased with the results. Meet me tomorrow for lunch at Crown Café and I'll give them to you."

Well, that sounded promising though she did wish he hadn't made a lunch date out of it. Despite the fact they had broken up months before graduating college, he still attempted to rekindle their relationship on occasion.

"Kagome-chan! Thank you so much for asking me to sit in with you at that hearing! This is so exciting…what's the hanyou look like? Is he cute? Does he look like a puppy? I can't wait! Call me!"

She'd forgotten just how excitable and, sometimes, desperate Arumi could sound. _Science project, Arumi-chan._

"Doctor Higarashi? My name is Hino Kaede. Please call me as soon as you get this message. I have urgent information regarding your report that I must share with you."

Now _that_ sounded interesting.

Curiosity piqued, Kagome reached for her phone and dialed the number Hino Kaede had left at the end of her message…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight

* * *

**

Kagome spoke only shortly with Sango and Miroku before she prepared to meet Kaede. She couldn't tell them any specifics, but she gave them as much of a heads up as she could without being too direct. She could only hope that they had been able to figure out that something was in the mix, if not what exactly.

She would have sworn that Inuyasha had said Kikyou _and_ her sister, Kaede, had died after helping Izayoi to deliver the hanyou, but the lady she'd spoken to on the phone claimed to be the little sister of the mid-wife and had gone into specific detail as to the looks of the half-breed and his mother so that she felt she had to believe her. She'd awakened her father after midnight the night before to tell him about the call and her _discovery_ that hanyou had a night of weakness where they became human. She'd said only that she had come across it while researching mythology and that when asked, Inuyasha confessed he did have a night of humanity but hadn't given a specific night. She had promised Inuyasha, after all, that she would keep that knowledge a secret.

All in all, Kagome had been able to get almost two hours sleep and was wide awake early the next morning work on her report before heading for lunch with the mid-wife's sister. The subsequent _tap-tap-tap_ on the keyboard and the light music drifting from her speakers almost drowned out the constant rapping at her door until someone shouted her name.

She sighed and saved her work, muttering about interruptions right as she was getting to the good parts, her bare feet padding on the floor. Her shoes were already by the door for when she got ready to leave, but her hair was still damp from her shower and she'd yet to actually get dressed and was currently in a nightgown and terrycloth robe.

Light brown eyes widened at the sight of the barely clothed doctor when she opened the door and Kagome blushed as Hojou tried to avert his eyes. "S-sorry Higarashi-chan, but I had to show you this. It's incredible!" He held out a file folder and entered the apartment as she stood aside, his embarrassment forgotten in the wake of his news. "Amazing! I've never seen anything like it at all. Take a look!"

He shoved the file at her and she took it, skimming the pages as the blush was wiped from her face, forgetting her own embarrassment as she read. "Are you sure this is right?"

"Positive," he confirmed, his face lit with excitement. "I checked it three times just to be sure. The DNA doesn't lie. Where did you get those samples from? Is it some sort of joke?" At that, his face became deadly serious. "This better not be some sort of trick, Higarashi."

"No! No, it's not like that, Hojou-kun," she assured him quickly and set the papers on her computer desk. "I promise, it's not a trick, but I can't tell you any more than that right now." She bit the corner of her lip and glanced at the clock. "Oh my gods! Is it that late already? Hojou-kun, I have to go. I'm late for a meeting and I'm not even dressed. Look, I have a case coming up in front of the review board in nearly a week and those samples are part of that. I'll explain more later..."

He nodded and started to the door to see himself out. "Just promise me you'll give me more of those samples. Wow..."

"If I can, I promise I will."

* * *

They had decided to meet at the public library in downtown Tokyo instead of a restaurant since they would have more privacy in a place like that than in a busier area. As agreed, Kagome waited by the front desk for her informant to show. Not long after one o'clock a woman entered and looked around. She was maybe ten or eleven years older than Kagome was herself, but her hair had already started to go gray around the temples, amplified by the fact that it was pulled back in a bun at the crown of her head. She wore a blue and white business suit on her short, plump frame and strode purposefully towards Kagome, her heels making echoing taps on the marble floor.

"Dr. Higarashi?" She asked and bowed when Kagome nodded. "I am Hino Kaede, Kikyou's sister. I know it sounds Hollywood, but where you followed?"

Kagome giggled. "Considering who we're dealing with, I don't think it sounds Hollywood at all. No, I don't believe so. I haven't seen anyone acting suspicious or anything. Shall we sit at the back? We'll have privacy there."

They were quiet as they walked passed the rows of books, tables and computers. Some teenagers sat around one of the tables, a pile of books in front of them, their uniforms marking them as students. A few other random people sat at the computers or in the couches and chairs that lined the front part of the library, but as Kagome had suspected the back reference section was completely empty. They sat at a small circular table and Kagome waited for her guest to begin.

"I was ten when Inuyasha was born," Kaede told her, sitting and folding her hands in front of her on the table. "I helped Kikyou deliver the baby that night. Izayoi-san refused to go to the hospital and it was an awful mess, but when he was out and crying, we both realized why. Izayoi-san didn't have much choice then but to explain what we were dealing with and the things she told us...well, I'm sure you've heard most of them."

Kagome was nodding. She leaned her arms on the table, leaning forward. "But that's not all there is to it, is there? I mean, there's got to be more."

"Of course there's more. Onigumo-Nakumaru Industries is in the coverup of a lifetime. Not everything that he reports to the review board is what is really going on over there on that island of his."

She hadn't thought so and with her newest discovery, it was beginning to seem like nothing that had been in Onigumo's monthly reports was true.

"My sister died in an accident when I was twelve. Or at least, they said it was an accident, but I've had my suspicions all along. Izayoi-san did as well. She helped me find a new home where I would be safe and changed my name from Hiroshi to Hino. She was a wonderful woman and the news of her death was sad indeed. But one can only run from someone like Onigumo Naraku for so long before they are caught."

Kagome furrowed her brows. "We know that Izayoi would have had knowledge of Naraku's experiments, but without any proof could she have really been that much of a danger to the industry? I mean, after her discharge from Onigumo-Nakumaru Industries, her reputation would have been ruined and who would have believed the ranting of one immoral doctor against someone like Naraku? Why would she pose such a threat to them?"

At this Kaede smiled. "Because she _did_ have proof. She had information that would have brought down the entire company had she brought it to light, but to do so would have left her open and vulnerable and her son's safety was always first and foremost in Izayoi-san's mind. She loved Inutaishou and losing him cut her deeply. Inuyasha was all she had left of him and she wasn't about to loose him too."

"So, where is this proof now?"

Kaede chuckled and reached into her bag, pulling out a chain with a silver key on the end. The key itself was long and slender with little holes around the cylinder marking it as a computer recognition key. Those were mostly used for safes, safe deposit boxes, and other high security areas.

"She knew they were getting close, she could feel it, and to make sure that he didn't destroy the truth, she sent this to me along with the access code and address."

Kagome smiled as well as she met Kaede's sparkling violet eyes. The final key to the puzzle had been lain and Naraku's end was in sight.

* * *

The day of the hearing before the review board, the federal courtroom in which the hearing would take place was a variable smorgasbord of professional people. Federal troopers were stationed outside the courtroom and an armed guard stood next to Inuyasha, who had been brought in with a sheet over his head to keep him from the media and now sat in a snazzy black and gray striped business suit Kagome had provided him and he'd even pulled his hair back in a braid.

Sango and Miroku had arrived on the main island the afternoon before and had spent the majority of the night at Kagome's apartment going over the information she'd gathered since her departure from the compound. The three of them were standing at a table in the front of the room, crowding around Kagome's braincase and shifting through papers. In the chairs behind them, next to Inuyasha, were Houjo and Haruki and another woman, the lawyer Eri, with Kaede next to her. On the opposite side of the room, Naraku sat with his two partners and a team of legal aides.

As the bailiff stepped out to announce the arrival of the remaining eleven board members, everyone in the courtroom stood and waited as they took their seats. Each of them had been given a copy of Kagome's report and had spent the past week going over it so that they would be prepared for her arguments. Once each of the members were announced and seated, the rest of the court was allowed to take their seats. Another woman entered from the left and sat in front of a small laptop, poised and ready to type.

"Due to a conflict of interests the head of the scientific review board has stepped down for the remainder of this proceeding," an elder lady with graying, short hair announced from her seat at the head of the panel. "As second chair, I will be taking his place. Let the record reflect that I am Representative Hanobi Mai. Now, Dr. Higarashi, you may begin."

Kagome's hands shook as she stood and reached for her own copy of the report, walking around the side of the table. "As previously ordered by this counsel, I have done extensive research on Takahashi Inuyasha and his background and I have come to the inevitable conclusion that the subject is not human." Her voice trembled only slightly when she spoke.

Across from her Naraku and his colleagues were talking, congratulating one another and Hanobi had to knock a paperweight against her podium to get their attention. The echoing _bang_ made Kagome jump.

"However," she continued, emphasizing her words, "my research had also concluded that he is not inu either."

"Now wait a minute, you just said that he wasn't human, how can you change that?" Naraku stood and turned towards her, leaning against his table top to seem more intimidating.

The paperweight was again used to garner their attentions. "Dr. Onigumo, you will have your chance to speak. First we wish to hear what Dr. Higarashi has to say. I am sure she is going to explain her meaning."

"Of course, your honor," Kagome replied, nodding. "DNA testing concludes that his genetic make up is no more than 54 human also no more than 46 inu akita. While it's not a large difference, I would say that it is certainly enough to prove that his classification should not be inu. Yet, with only a 54 human genetic code, it's not quite enough to classify him as human either."

A gentleman to her far right cleared his throat. "The reports from Onigumo-Nakumaru Industries show that his DNA composition was exactly 50-50. How did you arrive at these other numbers?"

Kagome smiled wryly. "I had two independent test run once I returned to the main island. It is always better to have a second opinion and I had reason to believe that Dr. Onigumo would have something to gain from altering the test results."

Naraku stood, banging his hand on the table, his face turning red from outrage. "Objection, Your Honors! Dr. Higarashi has no proof that I or anyone in my employ altered anything. If I had wished to be dishonest with this panel, I would have never brought this...creature's existence to your attention."

Hanobi's cross look was directly at the doctor. "Take your seat, Dr. Onigumo or I will have you removed from this room and we will proceed without your insight."

Kagome was visibly shaking now. It was her first time in front of the review board and they were a bit intimidating and Naraku's behavior wasn't making it any easier on her. She only hoped she could pull it off the way she'd planned.

"Due to the information uncovered during my work, I think that a new classification standard should be created and Takahashi listed under it. I propose that the new classification standards be youkai and hanyou; that Takahashi be hereby classified as hanyou; and that the other creations on Dr. Onigumo's compound be independently tested by companies not associated with Onigumo-Nakumaru Industries and the results reviewed to determine whether they are truly animals as Dr. Onigumo claims or if their classification should be changed to youkai or hanyou. I have proposed a list of standards attached to the reports that should be considered for classification into these new species, should the board accept my proposal."

"Your Honors," one of Naraku's attorneys stood, addressing the board in a placating manner. "Whatever it is that Dr. Higarashi is speaking about, my clients and my firm have no knowledge of it. Obviously the report given to my client is significantly different from the one provided to this honorable panel and we request time to review the real report."

"If I may, your honor," Kagome interjected, "I will admit that I submitted a false report to Dr. Onigumo, but the reasons for such an act were great. I feared giving him the true report would lead to the destruction of necessary evidence or even the disappearance of Dr. Onigumo himself."

"Continue." Hanobi was looking at Kagome with an expression that put her mind slightly more at ease.

"I have evidence that Dr. Onigumo Naraku has been lying to this panel for years and that he is practicing unethical experimentation on the creatures in his compound illegally." She turned and took a stack of papers from Eri and handed them to the bailiff who passed them out among the panel members. After several long moments, she continued. "In addition to the hanyou classification of Takahashi Inuyasha, I also move that Dr. Onigumo Naraku be held responsible for his unethical practice and be stripped of his license to practice medicine. I also move that his partners be stripped of their license for aiding him."

The three members of the company stood, protesting with their lawyers right behind them. It was hard to make out what was being said by anyone. Again and again Hanobi banged the paperweight against her podium to gain order once more. When things had finally quieted down she cleared her throat and glared at the people in front of her.

"Having reviewed the evidence entered in this cause this board has come to the decision that Takahashi Inuyasha and all creations like him will be further researched until they can be properly classified into the proposed species groups of youkai and hanyou. Until that time, Takahashi Inuyasha will be classified as human and be subject to the laws and regulations of humans as well as be privy to their rights."

Kagome would have shouted in joy had she not already been under the scrutinizing eye of the bailiff. As it was, Sango whooped loudly and threw her arms around Miroku's neck, an awkward angle considering they were both sitting at the table, but manageable nonetheless. He in turn jumped out of his seat, dragging her with him. Kagome giggled at them and then turned back to the panel.

Hanobi was once again using the paperweight. She'd probably never get that much use out of the thing again. "Further, it is ordered that the medical license of Onigumo Naraku, Hyouga Menomaru, and Tsuki Kaguya be suspended until such time as charges against them have been resolved."

The members stood and started out and once the door was finally closed, Kagome threw her fist in the air and yelled in triumph. She jumped with excitement and nearly fell on her bottom before deciding that jumping in heels was not a good idea.

Naraku had left his group of lawyers and was starting towards them, but was intercepted by Eri who, in a very perky sort of way, presented him with a set of folded papers, giving a slight nod to the officers at the back of the room who began coming towards them.

"Dr. Onigumo Naraku, you are charged with the first degree murder of Hiroshi Kikyou, the unethical and illegal practice of medicine, and the use of federally funded monies for illegal activity. You, sir, are under arrest.." She smiled as she said it, her voice holding a sing-song quality, and her eyes sparkling as officers handcuffed the doctor and his partners, reading them their rights as they drug them away.

The man guarding Inuyasha unlocked his shackles and left to help his fellow officers while Houjou, Haruki and Kaede excused themselves.

"You did it!" Sango shouted and embraced Kagome in a tight hug.

"_We_ did it, you mean. I couldn't have gotten this far without you." She hugged her back and even allowed Miroku to hug her until his hand cupped her bottom. She squealed and jumped from his arms, slapping him across the cheek as she did so.

Sango's face turned red and fire lit behind her eyes. "Miroku! I warned you!" She clenched her fists and stalked towards him.

"My dear, Sango -"

"Don't you 'my dear Sango' me, lech! If you so much as even _think_ about laying an inappropriate hand on anyone I'll...I'll...I'll break it!"

His brow raised quizzically. "My hand?"

"Not quite. Think other appendages." His suddenly pale face showed he'd finally grasped her meaning. She grabbed him by the tie and led him out of the room, still fuming.

Alone, Kagome turned to Inuyasha who had stood silently by, smirking, during the lover's spat. It was the first time she could recall actually being _alone_ with him without cameras or listening devices or guards. Why did the thought make her nervous?

"So, uh, I guess this means you're free to go," she said quietly. "Eri-chan said that since you'd helped us get all this incriminating evidence on Naraku, your charges were being remanded. You don't have to go back to jail."

"Thank gods," he muttered. "I hate that fucking place."

"I don't think anyone particularly likes jail, Inuyasha." He rolled his eyes at her and she sighed. "What will you do now?"

He shrugged. "Don't know...get a job, I guess, find a place to stay. No one's paid rent on my mom's place for over two months now so I'm sure they've rented it to someone else."

She nodded. "If you need anything, you can always call me. I'll help you find a place, if you like."

"Thanks."

"Inuyasha?" He looked up from his study of the floor and she blushed crimson. "The other night, at the jail, I shouldn't have kissed you. You were my patient and that was morally wrong. I'm sorry."

"Feh." He crossed his arms over his chest. "It ain't like it meant nothin'."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. All while talking, they'd been moving closer to one another until she was standing right in front of him. "Inuyasha? You're not my patient any more."

Before he could react, she stood on her tip toes, leaning up and pressing her lips against his while he stood in shock at her actions. Pulling away quickly, she turned beet red and slammed her briefcase shut, grabbing it from the table. "I've got to go. Goodbye, Inuyasha." With that she ran from the room as if hell itself was at her heels.

After a two second delay, his brain popped back into place and Inuyasha took off after her, ignoring the gasps from the gathered press at his appearance as he came down the large concrete steps of the Parliament building. He grabbed Kagome by the arm as she was stopped talking to several of the reporters and she drew in a sharp breath at his manhandling.

"Inuyasha! I -"

"Shouldn't I at least get dinner before you start molesting me?" He smirked and bent down this time kissing her by surprise.

The scandal that was sure to ensue was no doubt going to be the death of her, Kagome thought as she brought her arms up and around Inuyasha's shoulders, but the electricity that was running through her body at that moment made it worth it. Around them people whispered, took notes and photographers shot picture after picture with their high quality cameras. But she didn't care about any of that.

At least life was no longer going to be dull.

* * *

A/N: There will be an epilogue. Don't worry. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Epilogue

* * *

**

It took two and a half years, but the scientists appointed to the job finally documented each one of the creations living on Naraku's compound, studied their genetic materials, and came up with a solution to the question of classification. The specifications that Kagome had originally entered with the review board were studied and considered and eventually some of them were used. Once that process was done, parliament passed a number of laws giving all youkai and hanyou the same rights and freedoms as humans.

There were problems, of course, as with anything, that takes so long and such work to complete. Not all of the youkai on Naraku's compound had been pure youkai and had been denied the serum which kept them in human form. These animals then could not be released back into the population because of their exposure to scientific testing and had to be put down. The remaining youkai who were pure youkai were not all good, either. As with any species there were a majority who were rotten eggs, to say the least. Crime soared for the first few months after their introduction into society and people believed it would never get better.

But with the erection of a new jail facility to house the overly powerful youkai and law enforcement that was soon equipped and able to handle them, things began to turn for the better and more and more people were beginning to accept the creations as fellow beings.

Sango and Miroku took on laboratory jobs with the same pharmaceutical company as Hojou. It had, in fact, been he who attested to the genius of the two doctors from Naraku's company and informed them of the open positions. Sango and Miroku had married six months after the hearing and were expecting their first child in a few weeks.

Kaede had been running a small orphanage in Osaka and took in the majority of the younger youkai whose parents had been terminated. Shippou, the little fox cub Rin had been playing with was staying there as well.

Rin found herself living happily in the suburbs of Osaka, well within driving distance of Kaede's orphanage and attending the same school as her secret friend. Her mother had happily divorced Hyouga Menomaru and was currently seeing a very handsome, silver haired youkai. Jaken, knowing his weaknesses and his strengths, had become the modern day equivalent of a manservant - a butler. His employer happened to be Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's half brother, who, it turned out, had a great head for business.

Onigumo Naraku, Hyouga Menormau, and Tsuki Kaguya found themselves stripped of their medical licenses. They'd had the majority of their personal property sold at auction to pay their fines to the scientific review board as well as to the federal courts and to give the youkai from their facility a significant restitution for their treatment. Menomaru and Kaguya had been serving a ten year sentence in the federal prison for their involvement in the illegal happenings of the company and would eventually get out and be back on their feet. Naraku, however, had been found guilty of three counts of murder as well as his other indiscretions and had been sentenced to consecutive life sentences in each count. He would never see freedom again. It was only fitting, after all, after the way he'd confined the youkai on his island.

As for Kagome and Inuyasha...

Since Inuyasha had had no where to go after the hearing, Kagome had offered to let him stay at her apartment until he could find a job and a place of his own. While he found a job as an officer at Central Tokyo Police Department in the Youkai Unit, finding an apartment just seemed to get less and less important as each day passed. Two years later, he was still there.

Kagome became a director at the same lab as Sanog and Miroku, overseeing their group's research during the day and just being Inuyasha's girlfriend in the afternoon. All in all, she couldn't have been happier.

Well...maybe.

* * *

Kagome opened the door to her apartment, stretching her arms out before closing it behind her. It'd been a long day at the lab and she'd spent most of it on her feet. Now home all she wanted to do was run a nice hot bath and soak until she became a prune. With Sango about to start maternity leave any day, she'd had to do both their work because the lab refused to hire anyone else.

"Inuyasha?" She called, wondering where her roommate was and if he was off work. A banging from the kitchen made her jump and turn in that direction. Coming to the door, she peaked in and gasped, eyes wide. "Oh...my...kami..."

Pots and bowls and pans were strewn out over the counters. The sink was overflowing with dishwasher bubbles and the water was still running. Smoke was drifting from the stove while on top there was a pan with two black pieces of something that might have been fish when it first started. Flour, batter, spices, sauce and other ingredients stained the counter tops and even the white tile floor. And in the midst of it all Inuyasha was on his hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a rag, a towel thrown over one shoulder.

"Inuyasha?"

"Damn it! What the fuck are you doing here? You were supposed to be working late!" He glared at the mess around him and threw the rag down, splashing water up. "Not that it makes a difference now. Everything's ruined anyhow."

She couldn't help but smile at the notion that he'd wanted to surprise her with dinner. Shaking her head, she moved to the sink and turned the water off, pulling the drain to let some of it out. Then she started to pile the discarded dishes in the water, emptying their contents into the garbage as needed. "Thank you."

He shook his head and stood, finding a bucket and mop since the rag didn't seem to be doing the trick. "For what? Now you just gotta clean all this shit up."

"That doesn't mater. You tried, that's what matters." As the dishes came clean, she looked around for a place to put them before finally deciding to lay a towel across the messy counter and put them on that. "What made you want to cook, anyway?"

He didn't look at her but continued to push the mop across the floor. "It was Miroku's idea."

"Oh." Her cheeks burned at the idea. Miroku's schemes usually always led to something hentai.

"I was gonna give you this after you ate, but here." She turned around and found him holding a mop in one hand and a small jewelry box in the other. Drying her hands on a towel, she took the box from him and opened it, looking at the small, sparkling diamond within.

Her breath caught in her throat. "Inuyasha?"

"I woulda asked you before, but with all this legal shit going on, it didn't seem right." Silence stretched out for a moment and before he finally growled in frustration. "Stop staring and put the damn thing on already!"

Jolted out of her shocked stupor, Kagome blinked and then looked from him to the ring and back before squealing in joy and throwing her arms around him, nearly knocking them both off balance. "Yes! I love you, Inuyasha!"

And now that her life was complete, Kagome couldn't be happier...

Unless...

Separating themselves from one another, Kagome picked up her dishrag once more and continued cleaning while Inuyasha went back to mopping. As the silence drug on, Kagome sighed happily and glanced down at her ring again. She'd actually come home early for a reason...

"Inuyasha?"

He didn't look up as he rung out the mop and started to put it away. "Hmm?

"I'm pregnant."

"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

* * *

The End 


End file.
